Looking splendid after a major restoration, Cheah Kongsi is home to the oldest Straits Chinese clan association in Penang. Topped by a tiled pagoda roof, supported inside by lavishly carved gilded beams, the lavish main hall is a treasure box of clan heirlooms, and side rooms have been filled with displays on the history of the building and the clans who occupied it.
Each society occupied a different portion of the temple, which became a focal point during the inter-clan riots that flared up in 1867. The fighting became so intense that a secret passage existed between here and Khoo Kongsi for a quick escape. It's best to enter via the ticket office on Lr Armenian, rather than across the lawn from Lr Pantai.